#(we all call my lola mamang)

[flowers-that-sing]

okay so. i call my parents mother and father. but not because we're, like, preppy rich white people or anything.

here's why.

i called them mommy and daddy until i was 11. and then none of my friends called their parents mommy or daddy and it embarrassed me. but i didnt wanna have that conversation with my parents, and i also felt like it would be too weird to just start saying mom and dad when i had never before.

so, naturally, i started jokingly doing a witch voice and calling them mother and father.

and then it just stuck.

and now i call my parents mother and father which... is honestly more embarrassing than mommy and daddy tbh

[rosefiassahra]

Of Answering Questions - Part 2 #PrayforMARAWI

Assalamu'alaikom warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Bismillahirahmanirahim.

What happened?

Tbh, I have no full coverage of what really happened. I only relied on social and mainstream media and what I could hear from home. So I’m gonna recall on whatever I can.

It was a normal working day for me...it was Tuesday, when I was on Twitter, 'twas almost 4pm I think when I read a tweet of my friend saying she couldn't go home and couldn't pass the road because of gunshots. Coming from Marawi, this is normal - few gunshots, that is. Either some family rift or just someone who fired at something or someone, idk, but the point is, as long as you don't get involved, you're fine. (Maranao culture is complicated I know, but this is another story that should be told in another time). So I tweeted back telling her to go home thinking that wasn't grave situation. She replied she can't because she's stuck somewhere.

I read another tweet saying there had been exchanges of gunshots. I replied to this tweet asking where was the exact location and got a reply that it was in Basak Malutlut. I felt a little bit alarmed because it was happening in downtown. 

Immediately, I texted my sister asking if it's true and where she was. She sent a reply saying it was indeed true and that she's in UVS because they just held a variety show there for an LA subject. I told her to go home but then it was raining and that there were no motor vehicles around that could take her home. I told her to stay indoors.

My alarm escalated fearing for my family in MSU Campus. I asked my brother where they were and I felt slight relief when he said they're at home. Next came for my friends and other relatives. I asked several (thru texts) if they were fine and where they were. Some were stuck in the current places they were at - work place, restaurants, etc. I read Khas' tweet saying she can't go home because she's stuck in MSU.

And then it finally dawned on me how grave it really was because this has not happened before, how people just got stuck and can't go home because of the terror. Then my sister texted, she was finally home Alhamdulillah, saying that Mamang was not yet home. She works in Iligan and she goes home at around Maghrib time. My panic increased. I texted Mother telling her not to go home, but then she replied she was already on her way. I couldn't keep still until she was finally home with the rest of the fam. They had to take the Heaven road along New Capitol to avoid the terror downtown.

This was Day 1.

More worry and panic came on the following days as the terror continued. It was reported that the terrorist group (TG) took control of the city's public hospital (Amai Pakpak Medical Center) where they shooed the patients away, terrorized the hospital staff and killed ambulance drivers and security guard. A reliable source told that Muslim staff would teach the non-Muslim staff the shahada so they would be spared in case this TG will kill them when they couldn't recite the shahada. Later on, these staff were able to escape by jumping off from the second floor.

Next came the burning of a chapel in Dansalan College (a school established by the Americans, thus it has a chapel inside). This burning caused one entire building to burn down in flames along with other nearby houses. A chapel was also burned in Bo. Paypay (sorry, no idea where this is). Where was the fire truck, you ask? Well, the TG unfortunately took over the fire station as well in order that no help could come. (It rained heavily that night, Alhamdulillah, it should put out the fire.)

This tells us...they've had is planned out...maybe longer than we have thought. 

The burning was not enough, they took the priest, Father Chito (whom my little brothers are acquainted with because they went to Shalom Learning Center, a school ran by him and the chapel) and several teachers. For everybody's information, private schools in Marawi, DC included, have non-Muslim teachers. I could say majority of the teachers are non-Muslims because Muslim teachers tend to teach in public schools because they pay higher than private schools. Most of my teachers and professors are non-Muslims and these people are somewhat part of what I am today and what I know. So hearing this just breaks my heart. What did these teachers ever do for these TG to terrorize them? They were just merely working in our city to earn a living!!! My god.

Next, they freed prisoners in the city jail and gave them a choice of whether to flee or join them in combat. Some fled, some joined them and I can't guarantee you if these prisoners really knew what was their cause in fighting. I could guess they just joined out of gratitude. Smh.

This all happened overnight. People, scared and worried, were still stuck were they were. They didn't leave fearing for their safety and opted to stay with relatives nearby or in the schools/establishments they got stuck into. I could imagine how parents were worried of their stuck children or how those parents who were stuck couldn't get to their children who needed them.

While there's me...safe and sound here in Cagayan de Oro. But I tell you, it's not as good as it sounds because I was restless for the safety of my family back in Marawi City and what's happening there. I couldn't wait for my family to evacuate seeing as how many people left. The refuge caused a heavy traffic towards Iligan where everybody (most) was planning to go. People with cars were lucky, those who did not have...they had to walk, carrying their luggage. Aged people or children, they withstood the heat and the more or less 31 km walk to Iligan. Hungry and thirsty, the usual 45 mins of travel turned to 8-12 hours.

Day 3, my aunt's husband arrived from Cotabato to take his family out of the city. My three siblings were made to come with them, my parents and youngest brother staying behind in MSU (which so far is still a safe place, the Marines have taken control of the place). That at least lessened my worry. But I still fear for my family's safety. During this day, I had also decided to go home. I had been planning to go home for Ramadhan but this happened. I had a hard time deciding where to go - up in Marawi or straight to Salvador (where my sibs were now staying).

In the end, I went to Salvador when my mother told me that the battle fight had escalated. With a heavy heart, I took the next available van to Maranding, my Aunt will be waiting for me there. When I got to Salvador, I hugged my sibs relieved to see them again. And when finally I hugged my grandmother, I broke down and cried. She cried too telling me crying should be made to Allah (she was right, of course). But then I couldn't hold it back, seeing as I was alone in CDO, and I had no shoulder to cry on. I cried to Allah in my salah, but not out of it. Perhaps the presence of my Lola just did the trick.

Day 4, it has escalated into another level. MSU residents were advised to leave too. My parents finally decided to evacuate. My Uncle immediately drove to Marantao (thru SND route) to get them. The whole day was restless for us. News here and there of TG's presence is already in MSU even before Day 1. And that they might attack there. But then finally, Alhamdulillah, around Isha time, my parents and Moshi arrived. I hugged Moshi so hard, glad that I was able to do so again. I've been missing the kiddo since it's been a month since I went home. I was grateful that we were gonna spend the first day of Ramadhan together. Which was my goal before this has erupted. Alhamdulillah.

Despite this, I couldn't stay still wondering what's going to happen next and when will this end. I wanted sleep to take over quickly so that tomorrow will come and I would wake up to find this terrorism has come to an end.

But it hasn't. And more atrocities came.

The attack had gotten worse. Government troops (GT) were now fighting them so there was the rampant exchange of fires. Martial Law had been declared all over Mindanao. Airstrikes had begun. I wasn't sure who's gaining advantage, it was hard to trust the Media, really when we could receive news from inside Marawi that opposes to what was being reported. TG, or I wanna call them Rebel Group (RG) to avoid confusion, took over other barangays in the the city such as Marinaut, Banggolo and Lilod Madaya.

The city has officially become a battlefield causing for the Muslim Meranaos to flee for safety. It was so heartbreaking to see the people of Marawi fleeing from the very place they call home and their own. Amidst broken heart, I couldn't help but wonder where were the brave Maranaos? Had time erased them? Where were they? The very ones who fought foreign invasion decades ago? Who fought to death just so they couldn't be conquered by foreign forces? Were the Maranaos just brave in mouth and not in action?

I'm no one to speak. If I had been there, I would have fled too. I did help convince my family to evacuate, didn't I? But pondering over this plagued me with guilt. Where are you, oh people of Marawi? Why have we left the city behind? Why have we not stood up against and fought these enemies? We feared for our lives, for our families, for our treasure, for our temporary worldly belongings and we forgot the promised Paradise to those who will fight and die for Islam. These radical terrorists were ready to die under the banner of Islam, why can't we do so? We've been told to fight these types of people for they are the enemies who claimed to be fighting for Islam yet there actions are nothing Islam and pushed for Shari’ah Law but what they’re doing are not permitted by the Shari’ah. Asthagfirullah.

Day 8 and Marawi is now unrecognizable. With the burning of establishments, airstrikes and such, with the foul smell of rotting bodies and ashes, this was not the Marawi I've known. Do we still have a home to go back to? Do we still have houses to return to? If not burned, destroyed by bombs and airstrikes, taken over by RG for hideouts, our houses have been looted by ill-hearted thieves who took advantage of the situation.

Laa ilaha ilallah.

What has become of my Marawi? All of this for being blind and ignorant. All of this for being greedy for power. All of this for glory. We've been used. And where has that left all of us, oh Maranaos? My heart is bleeding for you, Marawi, and blood will gush out more if we don't learn any lesson from this. 

May Allah put an end to this terrorism and atrocities in our city. May He make it easy for us. May He grant us patience and acceptance of what has happened. May Allah make us overcome this and stand strong and firm. Allahumma amin.